New Web Site Cuts Red Tape for Volunteer Health Professionals. To make volunteering in an emergency easier for health professionals, the US Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response launched a national Web site today for the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals.

CMS Launches New Web Site for Information About EHR Incentive Programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched an official Web site to guide hospitals, medical professionals, and other stakeholders who want to learn more about the Medicare & Medicaid electronic health record incentive programs.

Slow Hire … Fast Fire. Having good employees is critical to the success of any medical practice. To accomplish that goal care must be taken in the hiring process to ensure that the right employee is hired and there should be no hesitation in terminating a poor employee. Unfortunately, many employers do the opposite and rush the hiring process out of desperation to fill a position and are slow to terminate poor employees due to the unpleasant experience.

Decoding Much-Hyped Web Technologies, and How They Actually Help You: Twitter. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be touching on a number of technologies that have sprung to life—largely over the past 5 years—as part of the phenomenon known as Web 2.0. We’re starting today with the most popular micro-blogging social network around: Twitter.

HIPAA - The Monkey on Your Back. HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, has become part of everyday life in healthcare. Healthcare workers receive training on the job and educational programs now incorporate HIPAA training into curricula. And with all the talk about privacy, patients have become very aware that HIPAA means protection for them plus a lot of extra paperwork to ensure their privacy.

Matter of Conscience. I am troubled about matters of conscience. When I was first qualified in 1967 the British government brought in a law permitting abortion in certain circumstances. As a medical student I had campaigned against it on the scientific grounds that life begins at the fusion of sperm and egg and deliberately eliminating a life is murder whether the life is one day old, 9 months old or 9 years old.

The Red Flags Rule: What it Means to Primary Care Providers. Which of these individuals may be an imposter? Which of these individuals is a potential victim of medical identity theft? The answer to both these questions is all of them. Plus, there is 1 more potential victim: you, the healthcare provider! The problem of identity theft has long been recognized by financial institutions and government agencies. It is estimated that as many as 9 million Americans become victims of this crime every year.

Is the Apple iPad™ Ready for Prime Time in the Doctor's Office? On April 3rd, I was one of those first “early adopter” geeks who anxiously waited for my Apple® iPad™ to arrive at my doorstep. My reason for purchasing this latest Apple gadget was to utilize it as a media consumption device.

Healthcare Reform: A Primary Care Perspective. Unless you have been enjoying a sabbatical retreat far away from all modern communication, you must know that the US House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 3590--the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act--by a vote of 219-212.

Physician Payments Sunshine Act. In an effort to increase transparency in the interactions between the makers and suppliers of drugs and devices, the original Physician Payment Sunshine Act, if passed, would have required that any transfer to a medical provider valued at $10.00 or more must be reported by the company and must be accessible on the Web to all who might be interested in the details.

CAUTION!! - Don’t Buy Just any Electronic Health Record Program! With all the hoopla about stimulus package money being made available, it is tempting to buy the first electronic health record program that knocks on your door.